The Last Days of Pompeii
by ValentineHart
Summary: Ex-slave, Rukia, is adopted by the Kuchiki Clan and is asked to devote her life to whorshiping Isis. Ichigo and Renji, discover how unhappy their best friend is and promise to rescue her. But will they get caught and fed to the lions? And do the small earthquakes mean that the sleeping giant is finally going to awaken? Will Ichigo be able to confess his love for Rukia? Find out!
1. The Return of Ichigo

_Rukia Kuchiki reached her hands out in front of her as dark snow fell down from the sky. Her eyes soften with uncertainty about the strange flakes. It wasn't winter so it couldn't have been polluted snow. It was actually very torrid as she actually took in account of her surroundings. A low grumble fell upon Pompeii and it grew larger and larger until buildings were coming down and children were crying, losing their mother's grip and getting lost. Rukia could only watch as the sleeping giant finally awoken. _

**Chapter One **

Pompeii, Italy was a very attractive place with such handsome and elegant people. Everyday was as demanding as it could be with people trading, selling goods, gambling on the gladiators wins, and falling in love. The prosperous wore silk and the deprived wore rags. The slaves usually wore whatever was given to them. Everyday seemed like a new and exciting day for the people of Pompeii.

The bustling city rested at the foot of the sleeping giant, Mount Vesuvius. And a north to the mountain, laid Rome. Pompeii's top competitor when it came to the gladiator games. One of Pompeii's greatest gladiators was Ichigo Kurosaki. He was very well built in the muscle department and he had unusual orange hair. He was the champion. He had never once killed in battle and never lost. He trained hard everyday and studied at night. Before being a gladiator he was just a slave's son. Luckily he was able to escape but once he has enough money he was going to return back home and buy his father's freedom.

Ichigo was walking down one of the dirt roads in the central market. To the left of the markets, stood tall and proud the temples of Isis. The day mass was being conducted already. Only the rich were there. The ones who were able to offer money to their so called goddess. Sometimes Ichigo liked to stand outside of the hearing range and just watch them. That way he could see soon to be High Priestess for Isis, Rukia Kuchiki. She was strikingly beautiful. Her hair was black like a raven's feather and her eyes were violet like a berry from a bush. Her skin was like butter milk silk and honey. But everyday she looked so sad.

"Ichigo!" Ichigo turned his attention to his best friend Renji Abarai.

"Greetings, Renji." He smiled softly at his friend.

"When did you return from Rome? I heard rumors of your arrival but I didn't think of it to be of truth" Renji gave Ichigo a hand shake, unable to show any more affection then that.

"I returned just last night. I would have gone to greeted you but I had someone else who needed my attention first" they started to walk beside the border of the temple.

"Your father right? They allowed you to visit him?" Renji asked.

"Heavens no. I wasn't really able to speak to him. I stopped by and paid off a little debt with Byakuya Kuchiki and I saw my father through transparent curtains."

"Those nobles surely know how to live." Renji said, putting a hand on the back of his neck.

"Right because see-through curtains and silk robes make the man" the two men laughed.

Ichigo stopped directly in front of the temple and he watched as Rukia spoke to the goddess. She wore a long white gown and her hair was in some type of fancy hair styles that he couldn't even begin to explain how long it must have taken to do it. Gold paint in the shape of spirals laid under her eyes. As she spoke she caught his eyes and they locked gazes.

"I know you miss her" Renji said, picking up a stone.

"What?! What makes you think that?!" Ichigo looked away quickly.

"Well ever since Byakuya adopted her, you had been moping around like a dog that lost his master."

Rukia, Renji, and Ichigo all grew up together in the poorest part of Pompeii together. Rukia and Renji worked as slaves while Ichigo helped his father when he was ill. They all grew up pretty close to each other, but then Byakuya had came and insisted that he buy Rukia. So he did, and they later found out that he adopted her as his sister. Since then Ichigo had watched Rukia change from one of his best friends to a high priestess-well soon to be high priestess.

"Come Ichigo, I have gay news!" Renji said, with a huge smirk on his face. Ichigo nodded and they both continued to walk. "I had been recruited. That means I don't have to be a slave to that devil woman anymore!"

"Yes, but that makes you the slave of the council."

"Maybe so, but I am free! I am step above slavery."

"Doesn't make you any better then one. Even though I am the best at what I do, the nobles still treat me as a common slave when I'm near."

Renji stopped in front of a bread cart and bought a loaf of bread then gave it to two sibling children who were on the opposite side of the road.

"Renji that was all the money you had! What will you eat?" Ichigo said, already getting unsure.

"God had said that a poor person who pays with everything they have is richer then a rich person who pays with only a little of what they have."

Ichigo quickly covered Renji's mouth. "Hush!" Ichigo dropped his voice. "If someone catches you being a Christian then you will be fed to the lions"

"You needn't worry. I am not that stupid."

Ichigo sighed and they continued once again.

"Tell me of what has happened since my departure."

"Well, seems like Byakuya Kuchiki is running for council. He announced this a week after you left. As soon as he announced his news he persuaded Rukia to devoting her life to Isis, that way the public sees him as a religious guy.

"Explains why she was up there. But I received news in Rome that a pure beauty was going to be a high priestess in Pompeii."

"Well it looks like we are about to lose her to the goddess Isis real soon, Ichigo."


	2. Priestess Rukia Kuchiki

_Rukia ran as fast as she could through the crowd of people. Some of them gave her looks like she was stupid as though she was running straight into hell's pit but she wasn't. She was running to the coliseum to save her beloved Ichigo and her best friend Renji. Because of her they were going to die if she didn't stop to save them. She was so scared to lose them, both of them, that if she didn't get there in time she would kill herself. _

**Chapter Two **

Rukia held up a candle to the sky and she looked blankly towards the crowd. "Isis hear our prayers. Take with you this piece of light from our hearts to your eyes. Give us strength." She placed the candle on an alter and she bowed. She prayed out loud for a few minutes then walked inside to the temple.

She usually hated doing outside ceremonies since lately the heat had been making her hair fizz slightly. As a future figure of Isis she needed to be perfect in everyway. Her teacher, Minster Aizen, said that she needed to make a lot of sacrifices when it came to dealing with Isis. For one, she had to keep purity and stay a virgin. Another was that she couldn't become a high priestess until her coming of age. She heard from him that one more duty must be carried out a month before her official ceremony as a high priestess.

Rukia took off a robe that was suppose symbolize purity and put on one similar to it but in a light pink color. Its ruffles went down to her ankles, and the straps were only as thick as her thumb. Of course it was silk. It was such a beautiful fabric she still hadn't gotten use to.

"Priestess Kuchiki" Minster Aizen called from the side. "May I enter?"

"You may" she responded, fanning herself with a feathered fan.

"You did very well. But that sad look on your face worries me. Did something happen?" He said, entering, with his hands behind his back.

"No-err well actually yes." She sat down on a love seat in her changing area. "You see, I miss my friends. Today I saw one of them, after he had returned home from fighting in Rome. I so badly wanted to talk with him, but…do you think I'm changing?"

Aizen sat himself next to her and held her in his arms, like a father would to his daughter.

"Yes. But for the better. Isis loves all her children and she wishes that we all become loyal to her. You are changing, but for Isis. You want her to love you, but if you pay more attention to your friends then to her, then you don't really love Isis, you are turning your back to her. It's best not to lose priority of what's important"

"Yes, you are right as always, Minster."

"No, I only speak for Isis. And Isis really wants you in her kingdom." Aizen said, letting go. He quickly changed the topic. "I have a letter from your brother, Priestess Kuchiki"

Her head popped up and she took the letter he held out to her. Aizen stood up, bowed, and then left. She knew that he wanted to give her has much freedom as he could since she was still young. So young and yet throwing her life away to a goddess she didn't fully believe in. After all, she was doing it for the respect of her brother.

She opened the letter that was given to her and it read:

_Priestess Rukia, _

_I am very proud of what you are doing for me. The elections are coming up so I really don't have time to go see you often, but I do watch you when the masses are going on. Minster Aizen and I have spoken about your coming of age ceremony and we decided to hold it in two weeks. A huge banquet will be held in your honor. Then a month from then we shall hold your ceremony into becoming a high priestess. I'm counting on you. _

_-Byakuya Kuchiki_

Rukia smiled softly at her brother's handwriting. _I won't let you down, brother. _She thought. She placed the letter on a small mirrored desk and walked to the living area that had a small pond in the center.

"Kaname…" She looked around for her blind slave that Aizen insisted that she have to watch her at all times. But what scared her was that he was able to see everything even though he was blind himself.

"Right here, Priestess" he responded, coming up from the corner. "I was just tending the garden while you did your services"

"Please Kaname, just call me Rukia."

"Oh, but then Isis would surely punish me for not treating one of her chosen ones with special care."

She smiled and handed him a few gold coins.

"Here you go. As promised for fixing my garden."

Before he could respond, another slave came in, this one belonged to Aizen. His name was Gin. He always had his eyes squinted so much that it looked like his eyes were closed. He also always had this cat-like grin.

"Gin, hello. What brings the honor of seeing your face in the temple of Isis, after services?" Rukia asked, walking to him.

"I've come with two young men who wish to speak with you. They say their names are Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai. Shall I ask Minster Aizen if they can come in?"

"Oh no, it's fine. Let them in. I know who they are. You are welcome to keep watch of the room from the outside if you feel unsafe about letting me talk with them."

"No, Kaname has that covered, Priestess."

He left at the same time two tall men entered. One with bright red hair and another with orange hair. Two very unusual hair colors. The moment that Rukia saw them she couldn't stop the tears from coming. She had missed her best friends for so long and not knowing if Ichigo was going to make it from the games or not was heartbreaking. She knew that both Isis and Kaname were watching her so she had to keep her posture as much as she could.

"Ichigo, I prayed to Isis of your safe return." She smiled and whipped her tears away and looked at Renji. "And I heard of your beginning of training for the games. It seems we have all grown, haven't we?"

Ichigo held a look of surprise and Renji looked more annoyed then anything else.

"You don't know how much hell it was to come see you!" Ichigo said, surprising everyone. "I mean you have guards surrounding the perimeter, and 'Minster Aizen' at first refused us to see you. Finally he said the choice was yours"

"Choice? Isis decided that I needed to see you. She told Minster Aizen to allow you in to my sacred ground." She bowed her head slightly then began to fan herself again.

"Rukia, what happened to you?" Renji asked his eyes sad. "You use to be Christian. What happened?! Now you worship a phony goddess that is use to just give everyone's money?!"

"Renji!" Ichigo said, afraid of what the guards may do.

"How dare you. Have you no respect on the sacred ground in which you stand on? Do you intend to insult the goddess that took me out of poverty and darkness and brought me into light?" she refused to raise her voice.

"I regret to ask you this, but you must leave now." Gin and Kaname said, coming from both sides.

"You are wasting your life away! You are no friend of mine anymore!" they both departed with two men.

Rukia dropped to her knees and cried into her hands. Minster Aizen kneeled beside her and patted her back.

"Priestess, maybe now you understand that friends are just something you can't keep. But your faith in Isis you can. Follow in her footsteps until the day you die."

"I will…"


End file.
